Apparatus for cracking oils



Oct. 22, 1929.

s. stem; 7 APPARATUS FOR CRACKING OILS Filed. Dec. 29. 1926 for a a M 0 Inf 612602":

s yee/z Patented Oct. 22, 1929 -'-UNI'TED STATES SIGBEB'I' SEELIG, OF BERLIN, GERMANY PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CRACKING OILS 7 Application filed December 29, 1926, Serial Ho."157,828, and in Germany March 25, 1926.

The present invention relates to apparatus for cracking oils and similar fluids. It is known to crack oils in a continuous process by conducting the same through a vessel which contains molten metals and allow-' ing the oils to ascend through theliquid metal mass.

' In order that the cracking may take place in such a manner, that the desired products 10 are obtained it is necessary to accurately maintain certain fixed temperatures, the degree of which depends upon the nature of the products to be produced. Because the cracking takes place at high temperatures it is very diliicult in practice tomaintain the correct temperatures constantly and accurately. Several arrangements have been proposed for the purpose in question but all arrangements hitherto known operate exclusively mechani- 2 cally by regulating the flow of the oils or the molten metal bath in a suitable way. Experience has shown, that such devices operate very imperfectly and do not secure an accurate maintenance of the desired temperature.

According to the present invention the arranging an insulating, that is, a cooling medium between the heated wall of the reaction vessel and the interior space of the same in which the decomposition or cracki of the oils takes lace. The effect of thismtermediate med1um is, that the heatfrom the hot wallwill not penetrate to the reaction chamber and consequently the temperature in the said chamber will not be influenced by tem perature changes at the wall of the vessel.

The deviceby means of which the new method is carried into effect consists principally of a spiral, which is arranged in the vessel, co-

preferably of a metal tube the cross section of which may be circular, elliptical or of another formand which is exposed towards the and thereby absorb heat. On account of the low conductivity of the said medium the intermediate spiral forms an insulating wall,

\ axially with the same. -This spiral consistswhich only slowly takes up the temperature of the outer wall and thereby balances the changes of temperature in the same. Any

surplus of heat is absorbed by the medium in the spiral and can not penetrate into the interior of the vessel. v v

According to a further form of the method the spiral tube is evacuated. Thevacuum in the tube is an even better heat insulator than gas or steam. p

Water vapour, air or another gas may also be conducted through the spiral in order to take-up the surplus heat.

Through the open spaces between the windings of the spiral the descending molten metal bath again reaches the wall and is heated anew.

Also oil may be used as cooling mediuni in the spiral tube. I

According to a further feature of the in- 7 vention the oil mixture may be used as a cooling medium which afterwards is to be treated When this oil mixture has in the apparatus.

rough the spiral tube it is'conducted passed t into-the reaction chamberi-n a suitable way. above mentioned drawbacks are avoided by Twopreferred forms of the apparatus by means of which the process may be performed are shown schematically in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is atop view of the same apparatus with the cover removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the second constructional form of the apparatus.

The Figs. 4 and 5 show details. The vessel a shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is externall heated in a furnace (not shown). The oi s to be treated are conducted into the vessel through the tube e, which ends at some distance from the bottom of the vessel. On

account of their low specific weight the oils will ascend hastily through the molten metal mass and'thereby create an upwardly directed current in the same. The reaction chamber v is by-means of the spiral tube a completely protected against the heat radiating from the wall of the vessel a, so that no heat from the said wall can penetrate into the reaction chamber. The entire vessel is suitably filled The spiral tube supported-by the carrier i d-molter metal...

" ilarly spaced fromthe' -inner Walls 'of sa'id with spirals (Z of fine Wire, in order to secure the s a thorough distributionof the oils in the bers.' a a molten bath; The above described measure In testimony whereof I- have signed my ,makes it; possible to 'easilyin aintain a con name to this specification.

v stant temperature in the reaction chamber. Y SIGBERT SEELIG.

, During its upward flow the molten bath is cooled, so that'a constant drop of temperature takes place in the'reactionspace. 'Thesurr face layer of the molten mass, which has be comespecifically heavier, sinks down along a the Wall of the vessel outside of the reaction space,- whereby it easily passesoutward through the intermediate spaces between the coils of the spiral tube'c.

piral tube is providedwith bafile momi membe1-' Z which may be formed with perforations or 'the' like in order to bring forth a preliminary"distribution of the oils intro-' ,ducedat the bottom-ofthe vessel a In-the e' bodiment shown in Figs-3, 4.

and 5, the moltenmet'al 'bath is confined "in the chamber. adjacent theinner wall of which .is the spiral tube'lt. admitted to the spiral-attend j andpassesthrough'the spiral I i k issuing therefrom through a distributor ,7"

and-thereafter passes up through the molten metaL- 1 Packing materialf/c occupies the space defined by the spiral'and assists in securing intimate con tact of; the. oilwith the Y i "Figsfit and ,5 shotv thespiralfh in greater detail; baflles-g'being provided thereon to direct the'floivof metal, .thi sb'eing indicated by thearrowsl] r 1 '35. .flclai'mz I 1. ln ian appar'atus for'cracking. oils and the;-'1 ike,a reaction 'vesseladapted to be ex ternal1- v 'heate'df and tojcontain' a charge of -'molte"-n metal, a continuous spiral tube annuehamber and disposed said chamber in positionzrad jacent said, Walls, said tube being adapted 150 contain a fluid circulating ith'erethrough toretard-the flow of'heatlfr'om. 1

said v alls' to the interior of the v es'sel,'and

heans toco1'1duct voil tobe treated into said vessel; v 3 v In an-ap'paratfusi'for cracking oils and the like, a "reaction-vessel adapted to beiex v 50 ternally heated; and to contain a-charge of e molten metalsa continuous spiral tube annufl'arly' spaced from the inn'er walls of said o11 amber and disposed Wit-hinsaid chamber in' position adjacehtjsaidW'zills, said tube beingjadapted to contain 'oilito'be' treated, -'mea 'ns"ex'terior offlsaid vessel to-conduct oil "to-be treated into the upper end of said tube, a distributor on thel'lovver endof said tube, the lovverIendof said'tube beingtherebyincomv I 60 -munication. with; the interior of said vessel Ravage-by oil admitted to said'tub'epasses therethrough and, on leaving s aid tube,'c'omes into contact :With thefaforementioned' molten 1 metal.

j 9 j I 65"; .3. The apparatus, as in claim 2pm which 13o 

